Some Came Running Filming Locations

Some Came Running is the story of US Army veteran and two-time author, Dave Hirsh (Frank Sinatra). Bitter from being sent to a boys’ home by his brother at age 12, Dave’s return to his hometown after 16 years shakes up the small town of Parkman, Indiana.

US 421, Milton, Kentucky

In the film’s opening scene, Dave is on a bus heading to the fictional town of Parkman, Indiana. Drunk, he was put on a bus in Chicago. Through the bus windows, the “Long View Inn” is barely visible.

In reality, the bus was heading down US 421 in Milton, Kentucky, heading toward the Milton-Madison Bridge. This building appears to be a private home, located on the bend.

Along US 421 in Milton, Kentucky.

Approaching the Milton-Madison Bridge.

Main Street (SR 56) – Madison, Indiana

In this scene, the bus is traveling through “Parkman, Indiana.”

It was filmed along Main Street (State Road 56) in Madison. The corner building above, to the right of the bus driver, seems to have been a pharmacy. It is now a nightclub/bar called The Electric Lady.

Courthouse – Madison, Indiana

In this scene, Dave is surprised to find he has a traveling companion, a lovable floozy named Ginny, played by Shirley MacLaine.

The scene was filmed on the east side of Madison, with the courthouse in the background. Through the bus windows in the photo above, the building that now houses a Dollar General, is visible.

The Central Hotel – Madison, Indiana

Dave arrives in town, and immediately finds lodging at the “Parkman Hotel.”

This probably was a hotel at one time. I “think” it currently isn’t, I have seen no listings for it as a hotel, just a bar/tavern, called the Central Hotel.

Main Street (SR 56) – Madison, Indiana

Dave’s brother Frank is quite shook up about Dave’s arrival in town. Feeling somewhat guilty about placing his younger brother in a boys’ home (yet all the while completely justifying doing so), Frank fears that Dave’s presence will break down the prominent social status he and his wife Agnes have worked so hard to attain. Frank is the owner of a jewelry store bearing his name, which he inherited from his father-in-law.

The location for Hirsh Jewelers was along Main Street in Madison. It is now a bookstore called Village Lights.

Madison, Indiana

Dave also wastes no time finding the local drinking establishment, hanging out with people more of his own social status. He heads to Smitty’s Bar.

You won’t be bellying up to the bar now, just a massage table. This appears to be a place called Complementary Health.

Dave wastes no time in causing trouble, getting into a fight outside Smitty’s Bar.

This scene actually did take place along the side of the building that is now Complementary Health.

Dave is befriended by local professional gambler, Bama Dillert, played by Dean Martin. The house on the left, below, was used for Bama’s house, and exterior and interior scenes were filmed there.

The cool thing about this house, is it is for sale, and on the Century 21 website it shows interior photos (thanks to Pat for the suggestion to check the website). Not a set…the scenes at Bama’s house were filmed inside. We are tempted to go to an open house!

In this scene, Frank Hirsh is spending a little quality time with his secretary, parked down by the river.

They are driving along Vaughn Drive in Madison, following the Ohio River, this one facing east.

And now facing west.

Parker Auditorium, Hanover College, Indiana

In this scene, Ginny, who is madly in love with Dave, is on her way to see her rival for Dave’s affections, Gwen French. Gwen and her father, Robert, are prominent citizens of Parkman. Robert is a professor at the local university and Gwen is a schoolteacher who is a big fan of Dave’s two books. Anxious to meet Dave and discuss his work, Gwen and Dave are immediately smitten with each other. Gwen encourages Dave regarding his third story, and helps to get it published.

Ginny is on her way to (nicely) confront Gwen about her intentions with Dave and to back out if Gwen wants Dave. Gwen, fearing a commitment to Dave due to his lower class associates, drinking, and gambling, falsely assures Ginny she has no interest in Dave, other than professional.

This scene was filmed at Hanover College, just west of Madison in Hanover, Indiana. From the same spot, trees now obscure the Parker Auditorium, visible in the above scene. I have also included a photo of Parker Auditorium, below.

Main Street (SR 56), Madison, Indiana

Bama and Dave are driving through town, while preparation is underway for a local carnival.

The scene was shot on the east side of Madison, along Main Street.

Ohio Theatre, Main Street, Madison, Indiana

Moffett Cemetery, Milton, Kentucky

In the interest of not revealing the ending, I won’t discuss the plot details any further…though it is obviously a funeral scene. It was filmed across the Ohio River in Milton, Kentucky, at the Moffett Cemetery.

It didn’t take us too long to find the area of the cemetery where this was filmed, it was fairly small, we could see it was close to the edge of the cliff, and there was a prominent monument in one scene, though we weren’t sure if it was a prop. There is a monument in the shot with Dean Martin that was a prop.

It was a lot neater, with no overgrowth 51 years ago!

We looked out for this area, unsure of whether this monument was also a movie prop.

It was real!

This view overlooks the Ohio River, with the Madison-Milton Bridge (US 421) to the right.

Pat did the honors of stepping into Frank Sinatra’s role.

The monument behind Dean Martin is a prop.

Main Street (SR 56) – Madison, Indiana

As we headed back into Madison, we noticed this marker commemorating “Some Came Running” and its stars.

And for those looking for some interesting tidbits, I have read where Frank Sinatra dreaded his time in Madison. He was not comfortable or happy with the idea of being stuck in such a small “hick” town. To help him tolerate his time in Madison, Frank wanted his best friend, Dean Martin, to accompany him and play professional gambler, Bama Dillert.

Dean was more than happy to oblige for his friend, and in fact, greatly enjoyed his time in Madison. Hailing from Steubenville, Ohio, Dean felt very much at home in the small, Midwest town of Madison. I have been to Steubenville also, and it is very similar to Madison.

WOW, great screen caps of an awesome movie! I’ve seen this film in 16mm Anamorphic projection, as well as 35mm, and i recently acquired the DVD. There is a funny blog called Booze Movies, the curator of which has expressed interest in featuring this movie.

I love your take on it, comparing the locations then and now. Good job!

Thank You so much for this…Very well done, really neat job…This is one of my favorite movies, watch once every year or two….I enjoyed your presentation very much, but I bet not half as much as you did making it!….Harv

Enjoyed the photos of Some Came Running. I am a local, having grown up in the Madison and Milton areas most of my life. My wife and sisters were extras in the movie when filmed here in Aug/Sept 1958. The opening scene which shows the bus rumbling down Milton Hill (U.S. 421) flashes on the restaurant “Long View Inn” briefly. At the time this was indeed a restaurant featuring outdoor telescope views of Madison across the river and for miles up and down the river (hence the name “long view”). Longview Inn opened at about the time the Milton Madison Bridge was opened in 1929 and remained a restaurant until around 1960. Today it is a private residence, has been extensively remodeled, added onto, and the telescopes are long gone.

I live in the house known as “Longview Inn”, the “Telescope House” and the “Overlook”. I am not sure when it first opened but in the beginning it was a beer joint/one pump gas station also called the Longvirw Inn. My grandparents bought the bar in 1947 (my guess is that was the year Trimble County went dry. My grandparents opened the restaurant and my grandmother served 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. My grandfather was a contractor and he built the house onto the restaurant. People still stop to get pictures. I still have the telescopes but the state has been less than kind. In an effort to??? stop Milton Hill from sliding they cracked the limestone shelf the hill sits on causing what they called a slide of at least 3 feet but is actually at least 5 feet. This cracked the pavement in my driveway and caused the telescope stands to begin sliding over the hill. After talking to the state I was told they are not responsible for any damage they did to the property since they were in their right of way. That may be true but it certainly doesn’t make it right and they know that. Due to the degree of erosion and damage the state caused and their refusal to acknowledge the area between the roadway and the rock wall being a road shoukder I am going to be forced to block the drive off because of liability reasons. I grew up in What was

Incidentally, the interior scenes at Bama Dillert’s house were actually filmed in Culver City, CA. Some interior “point of perspective” shots were filmed of the doorway from inside. These were used to make large poster recreations which were used in backgrounds of some scenes in the MGM studios in CA. Only about 30 percent of the film was shot in and around Madison and Milton. The one major interior scene shot in Madison was in a temporary set which was erected in the middle of Second Street near the Central Hotel. The scene was the interior of the jewelry store where William Schallert is showing merchandise to a soon-to-be bride and her mom. All of the Smitty’s Bar interiors were done in Culver City as well. I have researched the film extensively and wrote an extensive series of newspaper columns about the film in The Madison Courier in 1983 and 1988.

As a young 13 year old kid hailing from Jeffersonville, IN, my dad and I went to see them filming the carnival scene when Dean was driving around looking for Frank. He stopped the old but great convertible, I then dashed up to the car door, looked up at Dean, he smiled and winked at me, then was ushered away by security. What a great experience, and super time for me and I remember it fondly

thank you for taking such incredible attention to detail in documenting the movie locations in Madison. My Aunt Sarah Vest lived in Madison and how I loved visiting my cousins. Madison is a beautiful town and it is amazing and also heartwarming to see how the ‘bones’ of this adorable town have remained the same. Lovely……
Kindest regards,Missy from the bayou

Thanks Missy. We are pretty proud of this one. We got many good shots and I painstakingly tried to line them up and crop them to be as exact as possible! It’s definitely cool to note that many worked of buildings and architecture are still close to what they looked like back then. This is one of the oldest films we have done, other than The Grapes of Wrath.

I was an extra in the movie (the boy in the red shirt jumping out of the weight-guesser’s chair) just before Ginny gets shot. The filming of the carnival scenes went on all night long and it was still hot and very humid. Everyone was sweating profusely – even at 3am. Vincent Minelli was a nervous chain-smoking director but was fascinating to watch. One daytime scene was filmed where the “bus stop” was located. It had Frank and Shirley entering a building (this scene never made it into the movie). I was taking pictures with my Brownie when Frank saw me, walked right over to me and took the camera out of my hand. Scared the hell out of me. But in a kindly voice he looked me right in the eye and said “do you know your lens cap is on?” Talk about charisma. He had it in spades!

The simple street scene where Dave is entering the jewelry store to confront his brother and Miss Barclay about their affair took many takes. After about 10 takes Minelli still wasn’t satisfied and Frank became visible irritated. There was a bar 2 doors down called the Oasis and it was packed with customers (about 5pm). Minelli and Frank had words. Frank threw up his hands and just walked over and entered the bar. The crowd watching the filming (including me) let out a big “OH.” Sinatra reportedly “set-‘em-up” for everyone in the bar. What a character. And no wonder Minelli was a chain-smoker!

Now, you’ve got me going! I was right by Bama’s car as he drove thru downtown to warn Dave he was in danger from Ginny’s old boyfriend. Dean looked at me and I said “nice car.” He didn’t react of course and this wasn’t in the movie (Minelli must have seen my lips move.)
I wonder if MGM might come out with a deluxe DVD with deleted scenes? Maybe as a collection with “From Here To Eternity? That would be terrific.

First stayed in Hillside Hotel with parents in 1956 and saw two hydroplanes and I got the bug and race in Madison from early 60’s to middle 70’s. After that first visit took girl friend to see movie and has been one of my favorites over the years. As racer always loved the the town and had many friends who drove Miss Madison such as Ron Snider who I regularly see at vintage hydroplane races. Loved the movie “Madison” and while visiting Madison in August, this year 2011 stayed in old Hillside Hotel cottage where desk clerk said that Frank, Dean and Shirley stayed while filming. This trip I purchased the book History of Madison Regatta and found many, many participants that I knew from boat racing who raced there from the 40’s. This trip took time to visit all the sites including seeing the Miss Madison. Living in Kentucky along the Ohio it is my opinion that your town is most likely the most beautiful and maintained river cities and proud of their heritage.

First, I would be interested in knowing whether or not Bob Musson is related to the late Ron Musson who drove the Miss Bardahl hydroplane at Madison and other sites.

Second, I worked for the MGM commisary and delivered food to the the various locations. I have a photo of me swinging with Shirley MacLaine ( no, not that way ) on a swing set on display in front of a local hardware store.

Lastly, I have a friend who was in the National Guard and who was assigned as personal bodyguard to Ms. MacLaine during her time in Madison.

Hello! I love the fact I can see these great “Some Came Running” Madison IN locations as they are today! I’m a national entertainer now for over 25 years that performs in full celebrity singing and looks impersonations of both “Dean Martin” and “Frank Sinatra” in my Las Vegas-style musical show “The Martini Men.” Yes, I love the movie, and now that I know it’s actual filming location, I’d be so pleased to come and join the fun at some of Madison’s yearly special events. After Mapquesting I find by coincidence I’ve already performed several times very near Madison…twice at the then called Belterra Casino and Resort in Rising Sun, IN, north on the Ohio River, and also at Louisville’s Kentucky Exposition Center. Please contact me if you have any knowledge or ideas of where I could perform there in the very near future of this summer 2012. Thanks! Tim Beasley timobeasleystar@aol.com 757-589-0903 also www,themartinimen.com

Hello! I love the fact I can see these great “Some Came Running” Madison IN locations as they are today! I’m a national entertainer now for over 25 years that performs in full celebrity singing and looks impersonations of both “Dean Martin” and “Frank Sinatra” in my Las Vegas-style musical show “The Martini Men.” Yes, I love the movie, and now that I know it’s actual filming location, I’d be so pleased to come and join the fun at some of Madison’s yearly special events. After Mapquesting I find by coincidence I’ve already performed several times very near Madison…twice at the then called Belterra Casino and Resort in Rising Sun, IN, north on the Ohio River, and also at Louisville’s Kentucky Exposition Center. Please contact me if you have any knowledge or ideas of where I could perform there in the very near future of this summer 2012. Thanks! Tim Beasley timobeasleystar@aol.com 757-589-0903 also http://www.themartinimen.com
Great photos, enjoyed them all!

March 22, 2015, sitting here in Connecticut watching this movie. I was a young boy at the time of this filming but spent many summers in Madison after that. My mother came from Madison and I had grand parent who lived on Walnut Street. Many family members lived in Madison. John, Joe and Bill Robbins just a few. Many great memories of my times in Madison, someday I wish to return. Life was sure a lot easier back then. Spent a lot of time at Copelands Hardware, my Grand dad was Charles Copeland. I remember Weiners Dairy, family friends and during the war my dad was at Jefferson Proving Ground. Fourth of July was great time, I would sneak to Milton to buy my firecrackers. They always got raided either the day before the fourth or on the fourth. Great place to live and I will never forget Madison. I spent a lot of time at the Walnut Street #4 Firehouse.

I grew up in Madison, so seeing these photos brings back many memories. I lived on my grandparents farm on Rt 421, not far from Jefferson Proving Grounds as I recall. Then lived on Walnut St till 1961. The filming was certainly a time to remember…those Hollywood folks still evoke conversations in family gatherings! So love seeing the “today” photos as I’ve not been back since 1980. Beautiful town! Thanks for the memories!

Thanks for writing. I enjoy the stories of the locals and how they are still affected by the movie filming. Especially with this one being so old, there are bound to be fewer as time goes on. But it actually was among my favorite posts to do!